Question about M2 Step prep strategy

[JimmyKay]

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Hey everyone

I finished M1 and am starting M2 this week. I wanted some advice on how to structure my UWorld questions moving forward.

For context, I spent this summer building my Step foundation:

1. Finished Pathoma Chapters 1–3
2. Finished Sketchy Micro (bacteria + viruses)
3. Used Pepper for bacteria and used AnKing for viruses
4. Reviewed my school's M1 UWorld assignment in depth (162 questions total) that were cardio, resp, renal, GI/nutrition
5. Added important UWorld concepts/incorrects into AnKing using the UWorld add-on

My M2 curriculum is going to cover:

Dermatology
Neurology
Psychiatry
Hematology/Oncology
Endocrinology
Reproductive system

Our school gives us weekly UWorld quizzes throughout each of these blocks.

For added prep during M2, I was thinking about doing around 10 UWorld questions per week in addition to the school uworld assignment.

My original thought was:

10 Infectious Disease questions/week because I just finished Sketchy bacteria and viruses and want to keep that knowledge fresh.

However, I was wondering if a better strategy would be:

5 Infectious Disease questions/week + 5 mixed questions/week from topics I've already covered (cardio, pulm, renal, GI, etc.)

or if I should just focus on one thing at a time.

My goal is not to rush through UWorld right now, but to build a consistent habit and keep old material fresh so I don't drown during dedicated.

What would you recommend for someone entering M2 with this background?

 

[DrRogerNakata]

unfortunately doing 10 questions /week is not enough. Its at least 10+ per day. Medical school has so much information that you need that much practice. if your serious about step exams.

when I was in medical school I thought that I needed to know every piece of information first before I could even do a study question. so i would re-read and re-listen to lectures but unfortunately I couldn't do that, there is just so much information. So I wasted most of my time just reading and trying to have it stick but that didnt help me pass the test.

when I heard the story about how Michael Phelps and how he practices for a race it changed the way I studied. He practiced for race day. And for medical students that means you should practice for test day.

I created a 4 step process called the S4, Simplify, Synthesize, Self-study, Study buddy.

your asking about the self study part. and for that I'd say you should study more practice questions during the self study phase, not do more reading/wrote memorization by re-writing notes. I say do more test questions so you know how test day will feel like and know how to eliminate answers that are wrong, get good at annotating the questions so you can simplify what the question is asking.

FYI- the huge breakthrough for me in learning was at the start of the S4, it was when I could simplify things to its simplest explanation because that was when it would stick in my brain the first time.

Hope this helps,

Dr. Nakata